Column clamp with castings



Jul 19 y -1927 H, o. MCMILLAN COLUMN CLAMP WITH CASTINGS Filed June l. 1926 Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITE-D STAT-Es HOWARD O. MCMIILAIL' MINNEAPOLIS, MINNSOTA.

. COLUMN CLAMP WITH CASTINGS.

Application filed nine 1,

This inventionrelates to aclarnp, andparticularly to such 'a clamp as used tor clamping concrete forms tor concrete columns. As Well known toy those skilled inthe art, in the formation of such 4( :oluiiins a lforin is made usually of boards 'nihich'mu-stbe'iirmly held in Vassembled position vand aseriesy of clamps are used, embracing `said form for drawing and holding it in the proper position until atterthe concrete isvpoured'and has set. l y

It is an object ofthisinventin, therefore, to 'provide a simple land efficientclamp for `clani Jing a concrete column form, comprising few parts, Vand one -which can ,be easily and quickly yojgierated Aand vvhich Will have a continuous take-'u l. 1

ItA is lalso an object ot'this invention to provide such a clampI` comprising a casting adapted to 'be disposedfat the corner ot the `form and out, ot contactdtherevvith, having substantially flat arms vvith their `flatsides disposed Arespectively in horizontal planes, extending along vthe sides of the'forin and ,means co-operating with said arms and disposed along the sides ofthe ytorni tortightening the clamp. i y y l y It is still `further an object of the invention to'pro'vide such aclarn'p comprising a vcorner member preferably made as a casting, having a corner 'portion from which arms extend atright angles along the sides of the form, fwhich arms are adapted to embrace the ends of apair ot bars pivoted to othei bars at the adjacent cornersl of the lortu, a pair of bars overlapping inthecornerportion of said, casting, 1said arins and -bars having a plurality lof longitudinally extending elongated slots which 4are lspaced different distances in said arms bars, together with `Wedge means adapted ,to extend through said arms and barsto effect a continuous take-up between `:said casting and bars, to tighten and hold said clamp.y i i These and other, objects and advantages of the invention vill be fully Iset jiorth in the l `following .description madegin conneetion With the accompanying draivings, in lWhich like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the Vseveral views and in Whichzn Y Fig. l is a plan vieiv of the-device as applied to a column form, with the form shown in horizontal section; l l y 2 is a vievv inside elevation as seen from the bottom of Fig. l; 'and PATENT oFF'frcE.

yhinged .'bars. Sonie contractors desire to have as fei'vpieces in the clamp as possible,

and the present clamp is designed to have a 'fewer number ot parts. i

Referringdto the' drawings, a clamp is 'shovvh comprising `bars 5 and 6 hinged togetherat'one end to forintivo pairs. Thile the bars 5 and 6 may fbe variously formed,

they are preferably and vin the enfibodimeht :ofthe invention illustrated, frmedas plain flat bars rectangular in plan and cross section, having' their pivoted ends overlapping.v Av.The barsx and 6 lot, eachpair extend along ,the adjacent sides of the forin, vvhichpforin is shown Fig. 1 as 7, rvvith one edge rof said bars incontact with the sides vot the form. vEach of the bars lfaind has aplurality` 'of spaced alined elongated slots 52L extending therethrough, `ivhi'ch in the embo'dirne'l'itlot1 the invention illustrated are 'showna's tivo in number. The tree endsot the bars of 'therespective pairs overlap Vat tvvo 'corners of the ferm and said overlapping bai-spass through a vmember 8 pretervably orni'ed as a'castin'g. The member has a corner portion 8a from lWhich extend zat righty angles to each other the arms 8d and 8f, `which arms are comparatively dat and with their flat sides disposed lsubstantially in a horizontal plane.'l Each of the arms `8,d and 8t has a slot eitending ylongitudinally therethrough, said `slotsbeing designated 8b land ,8C respectively. The slots 8*? and 8 are disposed centrally of the arins 8d and `8t in a `vertical direction and extendlongitudinally of thesaid arms, said slots being` open at 4,the inner sides saidA arms, but being v'wholly 'or partially closed 'at their outer sides b the portions 8ffand8g respectively.' The sllits 8b and 48A in eli'ect merge at the corner portion '8a ot the casting i8, vthus forming chambe'rin said casting at this corner portion. H'This chamber or recess in the corner portion 8a, liovvever,`doe`s notfentend along thevinner longitudinal sides of the arms 8d or 8f,lbut is confined to the corner portion 18? of the inerinber 8 Where the bars 5 and 6 levene It will als@ be pti-,eaten the arms e Tun ai 'are in Slightly discreet, verdeel.

- HE/SSUED planes. The arms 8d and 8f are each provided adjacent the outer end and side with an apertured lug 8h. Chains 9 are each connected to the lugs 8h and are each connected at its other end with a wedge member l0, two of which wedges are provided for each arm and which wedges have a hole la therein in which one end of the chains 9 are respectively fastened. Each arm 8d and 8f has a plurality of elongated slots 8j extending therethrough, which slots are transversely alined with the slots a in the bars 5 and 6, but are spaced a different distance than the slots in said bars. Each bar 5 has a rivet l1 secured adjacent its free end to prevent the member 8 from sliding therefrom.

In operation the members 8 will always be carried on the bars 5. Vhen the device is to be placed about a column, the ends of bars 6 will be slid into the slots 8b so that the device will assume the position shown in Fig. l. The sides of the bars 5 and 6 will thus be brought against the sides of the form and one of the slots 5a will partially aline with one of the slots 8j. The wedge l0 is now inserted through the partially alined slots 5a and Si, in each of the arms S and Si, and driven downwardly therein. This wedge will bear against one end of the slot 8f and will tend to draw the bars 5 and G through the member 8. The bars will thus be tightly drawn about the form and securely held against the same. If one of the wedges lO is driven down until the slot 5a substantially alineslongitudinally with the slot 8l,- another wedge can be placed through the other slot 8j which will then be only partially alined with one of the slots 51 and a continuous or step by step tightening process or take up can thus be performed. lt will be noted that the wedges and thus the drawing effect takes place quite close to the torm 'i' and that this effec-t is inward of the corners or along the sides of the form and not beyond the member 8. It will also be noted that the lnember 8 does not contact with the form but the wedges react against the member S. which member thus forms the base ot reaction for tightening the bars 5 and 6 and the clamp.

The described structure also acts to square up the form when the clamp is brought to tightened position. The slots 8j are longitudinally alined with their respective arms a 8 and 8f and the slots in these arms thus extend at right angles to each other. The slots 5'14 in the bars 5 and 6 also extend longitudinally ot said bars. The wedges 10 are oit substantially the same width as the slots and 5n and when these wedges are driven through the slots 8j and through the slots 5a, these slots are brought into alinement so that the center line of slots 5 coincides with the center line of slots 8i. As the slots 8j in the arms 8d and 8t are at right angles, the

overlapping bars 5 and 6 are thus brought to a right angle position and there can be no skewing of the form when it is tightened. rlhis skewing of the form 'has been a great objection to previous column clamps which had no means for insuring that the arms would be brought to tightened position at right angles to each other. lith applicants clamp, the bars 5 and 6 must be at right angles when the clamp is in tightened position. The chains 9 are provided so that the wedges are always present and will not become lost when the apparatus is stored or transported from one job to another.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and etiicient column clamp, one comprising few parts and yet one that can be very easily and quickly applied to the form and clamped and held in position thereon. The clamp and the bars thereof can be tightened by a continuons or progressive tal e-up moven'lent by means of the Wedges used, and the clamp can be held in any position to which it may be taken up. The Wedges are very securely held in the position to which they are driven by friction and the form is thus securely held in its clamping position. The ,arms of the casting 8 are disposed,`and the clamping action takes place, along the sides of the form and there are no parts 0r tightening plevices projecting beyond the corners of the orm.

Also, as above stated, the form is brought into a true square or other angular position by means of the castings and bars when the wedges are driven therethrough. Also, as above stated, the casting through which the bars extend does not engage the form. The clamp, when assembled, comprises only two parts or groups, as the members 8 are carried on the bars 5 and the wedges are carried by the members 8. The clamp can thus be stored and transported with no danger of the parts becoming lost, and there are fewer parts to handle when the device is to be assembled in operative position.

The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very convenient, successful and ef'licient. Tt will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which. generally stated, consists in a. device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed iszl. A clamp for a column form comprising two pairs of bars, the bars of each pair being pivoted together at one end, the pivoted ends of said bars being adapted to be disposed at opposite corners of said form with insegue the bars lextending along adjacent sides thereo't, one bar of each pair overlappingaa bai' ofthe other pair at the other corners oit' said torni, a member Aat -each of said last mentioned corners having arms extending along'jthe sides otthe iorm'embi-acing said overlapped bars and means acting onsaid arms and bars and disposed ,'a-longlthe sides ot'` said form tor progressively drawing-said bars toward said member -and'holding the same in clan'iping position.

il. A clamp Jfor a column form comprising two pairs oi' bars. the bars of each pair ibei pivoted together 'at one vend, 4the vpivoted ends oit said bars'being adapted fto'be disposed at opposite corners of said form with (itl the `Ibars extending along adjacent sides thereof, one barvot'each pair overlapj'iing a bar ofthe other pair at the other'corn'ers oi said term. said bars'ha-ving a series ot spaced slots extending therethrough, a member at each oit said last'i1i'1entio1ied corners tha'viiig arms extending alongthesides ot said torm, said arms having a plurality ot slots extend ing therethrough transversely alined with the slots in said bars but spaced a different distance from the slots in said bars and wedge members extending through said arms and bars for drawing said bars into said member and holding clamping position.

3. A clamp 'tor a column form comprising bars extending along the sides ot'said form and having free ends overlapping at one corner thereof, a member at said corner embracing said overlapping ends and having portions extending a'long the sides of said form and means co-operating with said portions and bars and disposed along the sides ot said form between the corners thereof for drawing said bars into saidmember.

4;, A clamp for a column form comprising bars extending along the sides of said form and having tree ends overlapping at one corner thereof, a member at said corner embracing said overlapping ends and having portions disposed at the angle between adj aeent sides of the torni extending along the sides ot' said form, said portions having means ext ending longitudinally thereof, said bars also having means extending longitudinally thereof, and members co-operating with said portions and bars and said means t'or drawing said bars into said first mentiriined member and positioningT said bars at the same angle to each other, as the sides of the torm.

5. A clamp tor a column form comprising bars extending along the sides of said form and having tree ends overlapping at one corner thereof. a member at said corner embracing said overlapping ends and having portions disposed at right angles extending along the sides ot said form, said portions having means extending longitudinally the same in tendingone above the other, a member at f said vcorner embracingsaid ends and having portion-s extending along the sides lot' said form fand nie'ans extending through said kportions and bars `for drawing said -bars 'into said member Ywith a continuous take-up aetion.

"7. Aclamp for a column form `comprising bars extending-along thesidesfoi/ said form, having tree `ends 'at one cornerthereof- 'exvtendingone abovethe other, a member at said corner embracing saidfends :and having portions extending along the sides of said torni, ysaid portions and 'bars having spaced elongated slotsithereinnthe slots lin said bars ibeing spaced a different distance vfrom the slots in said bars whereby the slots in said portions and bars will at all times be out of register, and wedges adapted to extend through said slots in said portions and bars for drawing said bars into said member.

8. A clamp for a column form comprising bars extending along the sides of said form and having free ends overlapping at one .corner thereof, a member at said corner embracing said overlapping ends and having portions extending along the sides of said `form and means disposed along the sides of said form and engaging said member and bars for continuously drawing said bars into said member and holding the same in position.

9. A clamp for a column term comprising two pairs of bars, the bars of each pair be ing pivoted together at one end. the pivoted ends ot said bars being adapted to be dis posed at opposite corners of said torni with the bars extending along adjacent sides thereo't', one bar of each pair overlapping a bar of the other pair at the other corners of said. form,r said bars having a :series o't spaced openings therethrough, a member at each ot said last mentioned corners einbracing said overlapped bars and having portions extendii'ig along the sides of said torni, said portions having a plurality of' openingstherethrough, transversely alined with, but definitely spaced from the openings in said bars, and wedge members disposed at the sides of said form adapted `to pass through partially alined openings in said portions and bars, to draw said bars into said member and hold the same in clamping position.

10. A clamp for a column form comprising two pairs of bars, the bars of each pair being pivoted together at one end, the pivoted ends of said bars being adapted to be disposed at opposite corners of said form with the bars extending along adjacent sides thereof. one bar of each pair overlapping a bar of the other pair at the other corners of said form, means at each of said last mentioned corners engaging said overlapped bars and including arms extending along the sides of the form, each embracing one of said bars, and means disposed at the sides of said form acting on said arms and bars and disposed along` the sides of said form for progressively drawing said bars towards said means and holding the same in clamping position.

l1. A clamp for a column form compris ing two pairs ot bars, the bars of each pair being pivoted together at one end, the pivoted ends ot said bars being adapted to be disposed at opposite corners ot said form with the bars extending along adjacent sides thereof, one bar of each pair overlapping a bar of the other pair at the other corners of said form, said bars having a series of spaced openings therethrough, means at each of said last mentioned corners including members embracing said overlapped bars and extending along the sides of said form, said members having a plurality of openings therethrough, transversely alined with but differently spaced from the openings in said bars, and wedge members adapted to be disposed at the sides of said form and to pass through partially alined openings in said members and bars to draw said bars into said members and hold the same in clamping position.

l2. A clamp for a column form comprising bars extending along the sides of said form and having tree ends overlapping at one corner thereof, means at said corner embracing said overlapping ends and having portions extending along the sides of said form, and means eo-operatin g with said portions and bars and disposed along the sides of said form between the corners thereof for drawing said bars toward said means.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HOWARD O. MGMILLAN. 

